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Owners are Macan a profit: Massive demand for Porsche's SUV

All-wheel-drive appreciation: UK buyers are so desperate to get their hands on Porsche's Macan SUV that they're paying a premium on the used car market.

Mecan buyers turning to the used market to leapfrog waiting lists

Classic cars can make a great investment, but it's not just sought-after collectibles providing strong financial returns.

Porsche's Macan SUV, which was introduced in 2014, is in such massive demand that buyers are turning to the used-car market to leapfrog waiting lists.

As a result in Britain owners have seen their cars increase in value by as much as 25 per cent in the last two years, according to luxury-car finance firm Magnitude Finance.

In New Zealand the Macan has also been a success for the German sports car marque.

"The Porsche Macan has been a unbelievably successful model in the New Zealand market with consistent customer orders since the model launched in June 2014," said Porsche New Zealand sales and marketing manager Jamie Taylor.

"Last year Macan sales accounted for 43 per cent of Porsches total volume in New Zealand and this year will see the addition of the Macan GTS model to the local range."

Nineteen months after its introduction, every Macan currently being ordered was still for a specific customer and optioned to their own specifications, he said.

"We believe the strong demand and desirability of the Macan will ultimately result in higher retained value for our customers."

In Britain Magnitude Finance, which claims to have arranged funding for $NZ2.4million worth of Macans already, said clients have enjoyed the equivalent of 12 months free motoring with the increase in values on the second-hand market.

However, some are enjoying even greater rewards, with current list prices showing the uplift spans two years.

Head of sales, Tim Marlow, said: 'Our clients have benefited in many ways from the Porsche Macan.

'We were able to arrange finance in advance so they could place orders early so their names were the first to grace the logbook.

'Since then, they’ve been able to drive and enjoy one of the most stylish cars on the road for nearly two years and now have significant equity in the vehicle.

'The appreciation means, in effect, they’ve had two years of not just free but profitable motoring.

'For a car valued at just under £44,000 when new, that is an incredible scenario for owners – such appreciation is usually the preserve of supercars that people think will be future classics.'

The value boom for the Macan has been so impressive that the finance provider said some buyers have ordered a second to make the most of rising prices.

But according to car-pricing specialists, it's not unheard of for 'in-demand' new cars to increase in value before waiting lists shrink.

Mark Norman, senior consultant at car-pricing firm CAP HPI, said: 'The Macan has indeed increased in value by an average of seven per cent over the last year for late registered cars.

'This is simply because of the waiting list. Buyers who are prepared to accept someone else’s colour and equipment choice and are prepared to pay can skip the queue.

Mark Norman, senior consultant at car-pricing firm CAP HPI, said: 'The Macan has indeed increased in value by an average of seven per cent over the last year for late registered cars.

'This is simply because of the waiting list. Buyers who are prepared to accept someone else’s colour and equipment choice and are prepared to pay can skip the queue.

'If you look at used-car sites there are very few Macans selling for under £47,000 whereas the cheapest new price for a standard car is around £42,000.

'You often get this when very desirable 'must-have' cars launch and long waiting lists develop. Early Range Rover Evoque models made over list for a period of time as did the first Audi Q3s and even early Fiat 500s.

'Once waiting lists have reduced and used numbers have increased then values tend to drop back down to normal market levels. It happens regularly with Porsches.'

A Porsche spokesman said buyers tend to have to wait between six to eight months ordering any Porsche as most are made to unique specification demands rather than buying off the peg in a dealership.

'The bigger Cayenne diesel has historically been the best performer in its class for residual values,' he said.

'The Macan offers a different range of attributes and is appealing to people who wouldn't necessarily have bought a Porsche if the Macan wasn't on the market - so far, three in four Macans are bought by people who are new to the brand.

'Porsche as a whole builds around 200,000 cars globally a year. As the demand grows so does the exclusivity. This results in high residual values for our customers.'

The Jaguar F-Type SUV.

Porsche is due to face new competition in 2016 in the form of the highly-anticipated Jaguar F-Type, which the British carmaker has already confirmed is subject to a nine-month waiting list.

However, this is not a guarantee that Jaguar's baby SUV will follow the same pricing trajectory as its German rival in 18-24 months time.

'It’s risky,' said Norman.

'The F-Pace has as good a chance as any of achieving an early price premium as there is already quite a long waiting list for the car and it will undoubtedly prove to be extremely popular.

'However, a lot depends on picking the right model, colour and optional extras as well as relying on demand continuing to outstrip supply.'

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